Cruz Pedregon, the 1992 NHRA Nitro Funny Car World Champion, and his Advance Auto Parts team are cautiously optimistic heading to the Memphis Motorsports Park for the Mid-South Nationals, the 19th stop on the $50 million NHRA Drag Racing Series.
“We have paid our dues recently trying to get things turned around,” said Pedregon, driver of the Advance Auto Parts Funny Car. “Rahn [crew chief, Tobler] has reviewed our data from the U.S. Nationals and has made changes and modifications to our set-up. We are determined to get the car in the field and then race hard on Sunday.”
Pedregon is first to admit that the Memphis Motorsports Park track hasn’t been too kind to him over the years.
“This has been a tough track for us,” said Pedregon. “It’s tricky when the weather is hot, but the fact that we haven’t had success here just motivates me even more. I’ve challenged myself and my team to rise to the occasion at Memphis. The bottom line is you have to earn your way every time out.”
During his Funny Car rookie season in 1992, Pedregon won the NHRA World Championship. With this accomplishment he became the only racer other than John Force to win the Championship in the 90s. In 1997, Pedregon was also the first motorsports athlete to receive the “Premio De Oro,” the only national award for Hispanic athletes. Born into a racing family, Pedregon’s father, Frank, raced Top Fuel dragsters in the 1960s. Cruz’s brothers, Tony and Frank, also compete in the Nitro Funny Car ranks. In 1980, Cruz won his first official drag race at the age of 15, driving a 1953 Kenworth truck.
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